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Afghanistan's left-arm speedster Shapoor Zadran announced his retirement from international cricket.
The tall fast bowler featured in 44 ODIs and 36 T20Is for Afghanistan since making his debut in 2009. Across both formats, he scythed 80 wickets. His last international appearance for Afghanistan dates back to March 8, 2020, in a T20I match against Ireland in Greater Noida. During his playing days, Zadran was a typical fast bowler with an aggressive mentality, and once he even cited the Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar as his idol. He emerged as one of the key figures in Afghanistan's rise to dominance on the international stage. He gained a cult hero status during the ODI World Cup 2015. The left-arm speedster ended the campaign with ten wickets, accompanied by some animated celebrations. His tally of wickets included modern-day greats Steven Smith, David Warner, Kane Williamson, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahmudullah. The 37-year-old's most decorated performance came against Scotland. With figures of 4/38, he helped Afghanistan secure their first victory in the ICC tournament. "Today is the day I never wanted to face, but it eventually comes for every player. After 22 years of service, sacrifice, and love for cricket, I, officially announce my retirement from international cricket. This has been one of the toughest decisions of my life because cricket has been more than just a game to me, it has been my passion, my identity and my purpose," Zadran wrote in his Facebook post. "Since childhood, I dreamt of representing Afghanistan, and looking back now, I am proud to have played a part in raising our nation's flag on the international stage. My journey began in the most challenging times of Afghan cricket," he added. Zadran thanked the fans, his family, teammates, and coaches who helped him overcome the set of challenges that he faced in his journey. "I faced difficulties, played under limited resources, and overcame many obstacles, but I never lost faith. The support of cricket fans, my teammates, coaches, and especially my family kept me going through every hardship," he said. "I sincerely thank everyone who stood by my side throughout this long journey. The love, prayers, and unwavering support of my family, friends, fans, and the people of Afghanistan have been my greatest strength," he added. In the end, he wished for Afghanistan's success and said he would celebrate every victory and hope the new stars would take Afghanistan to greater heights. "I will always be grateful for it. Though I am stepping away from international cricket, my commitment to the game remains. I will always pray for the success of Afghanistan cricket. If not as a player, then as a devoted supporter, I will celebrate every victory and hope for the emergence of new stars who will take Afghan cricket to greater heights," he concluded. (ANI)
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